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Sharif had legal right to divert aircraft |
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August 17, 2000
KARACHI (AP) - For the first time since the army coup last October, the lawyers for deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif told an appeals court on Wednesday that Sharif had issued orders to divert the aircraft returning the army general to Pakistan. Sharif was charged with hijacking and terrorism as a result of that order and sentenced in April to two concurrent life terms. He is appealing. His lawyer, Azizullah Sheikh, told an appeal's court that Sharif had the legal right to divert the aircraft because he was the chief executive of Pakistan and he feared Gen. Pervez Musharraf's return would destabilize the nation. The order to divert the aircraft was made after Sharif dismissed Musharraf as chief of Pakistan's powerful military and replaced him with a junior general. The dismissal of Musharraf caused the army to revolt and seize power, arresting Sharif and several of his colleagues. Sharif has been in jail since the coup. The commercial airliner returning Musharraf to Pakistan from Sri Lanka circled the skies over southern Karachi until the army takeover was complete and it was allowed to land. When it did land there was barely seven minutes of fuel remaining. During Wednesday's appeal hearing, the prosecution lawyer reminded Sharif's defense attorneys that the Supreme Court had already issued a ruling legitimizing the army takeover and giving Musharraf three years to return Pakistan to democratic rule. Sharif has challenged the Supreme Court decision. On Wednesday Sharif's lawyers asked the appeal court to suspend its proceedings until Sharif's challenge is decided. The Sindh High Court ordered Sharif's defense attorney and the prosecution to submit arguments Thursday before deciding whether the appeal will proceed or await sharif's challenge. |